Gate.



Nn. 657,462. A Patented sept.'4, |900.

w. N; slMPKms.

GATE.

(Application led Max'. 22, 1900.)

(No Mqdel.)

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UNITED STATES rPATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM N. sIMPKINs, on sTREAToR, ILLINOIS. I

GATE.

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,46adatea 'september 4. 1900.

Application filed March 22, 1900. Serial No. 9,717. (No model.)

To all whom, t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM N. SIMPKINS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Streator, in the county of `La Salle and State" of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Gate, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gates, and the particular object is to provide means whereby aswinging gate may be easily raised to pass over an obstruction, as when the ground slopes or in case of snow, or to allow small stock, as sheep or pigs, to pass thereunder.

A further object is to provide, in connection with the above mechanism, simple means for securely locking the gate in closed position, so that there is no chance of its becoming accidentally opened.

To set forth the -invention fully, the pre- .ferred form of the same is described in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming part of the same, and in Which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a swinging gate, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of the lower portion, clearly showing the Vconstruction and arrange-r ment of the lower hinge. Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section on the line a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aview of the crank-arm detached. Fig. 5 is a viewl of aslightly-modiiied manner of mounting the slidable hinge member.

Similar numerals of reference designate like and corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a gate i of ordinary construction, 11 and 12 designating the hinge and locking posts, respectively, and 13 the upper hinge for the same, which may be of any construction desired.

The lower hinge 14 preferably comprises a curved slide-bar 15, slidingly mounted upon the lower corner of the gate and provided in its end with the hinge-eye 16, which receives the hinge pin or pintle 17, fastened to the post 1l. In mounting the slide-bar 15 upon the gate a plate 18 is provided, which is fastened` in any desirable manner to the lower rail of the gate, preferably by bolts 19. This plate is provided at one end with the verticallylever.

arranged guide-strap 2O and near the opposite end, at its side edges, with the verticallyalined perforated ears 2l. The slide-bar l5 fis arranged between the ears 2l and under the guide-strap 20, whereby it has a sliding lmovement upon the plate 18. Passing through ,the perforations in the ears 21, and thereby forming a retainer for the bar 15 is the spring 22. This spring is bowed at its central portion, the free end being bent downwardly and engaging behind the pin 23, carried by the bar- 15. The end of the bar l5, opposite the pivot-eye 16, is provided with the angular brace 24, which is detachably secured to the end of the bar-by a bolt 25 and which forms at the end of the bar l5 a space for the reception of the crank-arm 26. The crankarm 26 is rigidly attached to the lower end of the long lever 27, which in its normal positio'n extends diagonally across the gate and is pivoted thereto atits lower end by means of the angular brace 28 and bolt 29. The .crank-arm 26 preferably consists of the arm 30 and brace 3l, the ends of which are provided with a' plurality of openings, whereby the crank-arm-may be adjusted upon the lever 27. The end of the crank-arm ts between the adjacent faces of the brace 24 and the bar 15, and a pivot-bolt 32 passes through openings in the end portions of these several members, thereby pivotally connecting the crank and the slide-bar. At the free end of the gate is the guide-rod 33, which prevents the lateral displacement of the free end of the y To lock the gate in closed' position, there is provided at the lower end of the locking-post the angular projecting keeper 34, having its end upturned, forming a seat for the lower end of the gate. The upper portion of the locking-post is provided with a similar projecting keeper 35, having its end turned downwardly, forming a seat or stop for the free end of the lever 27. Assuming the gate closed, the gate is so balanced that its weight is slightly greater than the counteracting weight of the lever 27 and the pressure of the spring 22. In this position the free end of the gate will rest upon the keeper 34, thus relieving all strain upon the hinge-post l1 and the gate 10. The free end of the lever 27 will also be engaged under the keeper 35. To operate IOO yIO

- ingiground or in snow, -above `which lit may;

i beapparent to those skilled ain the art with,

Patent,isy .1. Thecombination withaswi'nginggatem offa hinge,one :member of whichhas-asliding engagement with the gate, Ya lever pivotedgy upon zthe gatecontig'uons to the 4hingedfendgi thereof `and yhaving an-operative connection l tion' the lever 27 is made heavy enough fto vproportion,and minordetailsolf-construction vof `the invention.

the gate, a downward pressure upon the free end of V,the ylever will disengage 'it from 4the keeper 35 'and at the same time the free end' of the gate will be raised and disengaged from the keeper 34, whereupon the gate may be" swung open. The height to which the gate may be raised is -only limited by ithe guide-l1 rod 33, and this may be readily changed by adjusting .the crank-arm 26. A

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the` spring 22 is not used, but instead a pair of,4 guide-straps 20a are provided, through which Y the sliding bar`1`5 passes. ln this construcnearly counterbalance the weight of thegate,"Y

ora weightmaybe placed upon Lthe levier, .ifi

desired. y

From this description it will be 'see-n that; a very simpleconstrnction is provided that admits of the raising of- .the gate .to allowg' small .animals to 'pass thereunder or .thatwilli permitfthe use of a swinging gateuponslop-a` bev raised. .Another advantage lies in the@ fact .that when the gate Ais i-n its .closed posi-'g tion all strain is taken therefrom and fil-omg the hinges, whereby there is no liability of',L itsvsagging. Moreover, the construction af-g fords areliable locking device, -whichsfastens the gate at both its upper and .lower\ends,i and the leverextendingdiagonally-acrossfthei gate forms a strengthening-.hariw thesame. i;

The bar 15 has been `describediand@claimedE as the slidable hinge ,-memberin 4orderiio clearly designatethe same and distinguisht it from the other hinge membersand .emphasizethezrel-ative :sliding movement between, itfandthe gate.' t

:From theforegoing .it is ztho'nght `.that the` construction, operation, and emany .advan-' tages of lthe herein-described invention will,

out further ydescriptiomand itwvill ybenndery stood that various changes inthe-size, shape, y,

mayV be :reso rtcd to :Without departing from the spirit or` saerificing.anyzofitheadvantages l ,Havingrr thus :described -myin Ven'tion., @what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters 5 with the said hinge member, said lever eX- tendilng diagonally acrosslthe gatevforming a strengthening-bar therefor, and means for locking the free end of the lever to the gatepost, substantially as described.

2. 'II-.he combination with a swinging gate, foffa hinge arranged'atthe lower corner of the gate, one member of said hinge being slidably 4mounted upon the gate, a lever pivoted to the iower corner of thegate'and having one end operatively connected to the slidable hinge member., said llever extending diagonally across 'the gateform'ing a'bar, arid means for lockingf'the'ree-endrof said lever to the gatepost, substantially as described.

3. The combination withiaswinging gate, =offza hingezarranged; at the lower cornerthereof :and'haviug'oneof its lnem'bersfslidablyfmount ledy nponfthegatea lever pivoted to the 4lower corner of the gate andioperatifvely connected gtoethe fslidah-le hinge member, said'lever :exitending .diagonally across the gate and projecting .beyond fthe free :end thereof, and a pair =of freversely-.arrangedkeepers, one of whichisadapted .to receive Athe Ilower freeien-d lof ithe gate, thefother adapted .tofengage .the

'free -end -of the lflever, substantially as described. a

4. vThe combination vwith a swinging gate, iof laihi-ngefhavingonefof its-members slidably imounted,.and a.-sprin.g=engaging the slidable mem-ber ,and exertingra ,pressure against .the iweight,,of theigate,su-bstantiallyasdescribed. 5. vThe combination with a swinging gate, of afhingehavingioneof its .membersslidably imonnited upon the fgate, :a spring mounted mpon-thegateand engaging .the slidable hin ge 'glnemberpand a lever :pivo'ted to the :gate :and gcon'nected to the slidable `hinge member,

whereby whenfsaid ilever .is operated the gate iisy `raised :or lowered, vsubstantially as rdeo6. .T-.hecombina-,tion with -a swinging gate, bin.ihingediavingfoneof its members slidabl y mounted upon @the gate, and-aspring engaging itheslidable hinge fmemberfa portion of f said spring also forming Fa retaining means for the slid'able rhin ge member, substantially 11s-described. Y

In testimony that Ifclaim .the vforegoingas ICO my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in 

